Oil prices rose to their highest in almost six weeks on Wednesday, with Brent crude surpassing $95 a barrel, on mounting concerns about disruptions to Middle Eastern supply routes because of escalating hostilities between the US and Iran and threats to shipping by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen.
Brent crude futures were up $2.23 at $93.24 a barrel on Wednesday afternoon, after hitting a session high of $95.47. US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $2.18 to $86.18.